Water-tight receptacle and plug therefor



May 26, 1925.

R. B. BENJAMIN WATER TIGHT RECEPTACLE AND PLUG THEREFOR Filed Aug. 7.1918 2 heets-Sha l v May 26, 1925. 1,539,539

R. B. BENJAMIN WATER TIGHT RECEPTACLE AND PLUG THEREFOR Filed Aug. 7..1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i wg') k 7262576655651 M vs Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNO'R T0 BENJAMIN ELECTRICMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

WATER-TIGHT RECEPTACLE AND PLUG THEREFOR.

Application filed August 7, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in ater-Tight Receptacles and PlugsTherefor, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved water-tight receptacle and plugtherefor, one object of the invention being to produce a device of thiskind from which moistur'e, vapors, gases, and the like are eft'ectuallyexcluded, so that it will be suitable for use in exposed places, such ason shipboard.

Another object is to produce a device in which it is possible to connectthe parts without twisting the conductors.

Another object is provide means whereby any strain caused by theconductor-cords being pulled or jerked is taken by the exernal orhousing members of the device, instead of by the receptacle contacts.

Another object is to provide an improved construction for the insulatingand currentcarrying parts of the plug, permitting the conductors to bereadily connected.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is an elevational side view of awater-tight receptacle with a screw-cap in place;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the device with the cap removed and the pluginserted, the outlet-box or casing of the receptacle being shown insection;

Fig. 3 shows an axial section of the plug, the section being taken onthe line 33 of Figs. 5 and 7;

Fig. 4 shows an axial section of the plug, the section being taken onthe line H of Figs. 5 and 7 Fig. 5 is an end view of the plug;

Fig. 6 is a broken elevational view of the part of the plug which entersthe threaded socket of the receptacle;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the under side of the inner or lower insulatingbase mem ber of the plug, showing the binding-ten minals;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the under side Serial No. 248,684.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional View of the cordgripping portion of theplug, the section be- Ing taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 10 is a bottom plan view of the insulating base of the rece tacleand the parts carried by this base, looking into the threaded socket,the insulating sleeve which surrounds the threaded shell contact beingomitted; and

Fig. 11 is an axial sectional View of the same, the section being takenon the line 11-11 of Fig. 10, the insulating sleeve being shown in placein this view.

In the several figures of the drawings, in which like reference numeralsindicate the same parts throughout, the casing or outletbox comprises amain body portion 20 and a cover portion 21, which is held to the bodyportion by screws 22, a water-tight joint being; made between theseparts by means of a rubber gasket ring 23. The cover portion 21 of thecasing is provided with an externally-threaded neck 24, through whichthe plug of the device is inserted into the threaded socket-shell. Whenit is not desired to use the device as a means for supplying current totranslating devices, the plug will be withdrawn from the socket and acap 25, which is internally screw-threaded. may be placed in position onthe neck and maintains the device water-tight. To prevent the cap 25from becoming lost, it is connected to the casing by means of a shortchain 25.

When it is desired to insert the plug into the casing this cap 25 isremoved. The plug, after being inserted, is securely held in position bymeans of a threaded ring 26 which is swivelingly carried by the casingof the plug and which takes the place of the cap 25.

Before describing the details of the plug portion of the device, thereceiving-socket and other parts which are contained within the casingof the receptacle will first be described.

A base 27 formed of suitable insulating material is secured in thecasing by means the casing. To prevent rotation of the base 27 andconsequent turning under the heads of the screws 28, which. might resultin the base becoming detached, the smaller or restricted end of eachkey-hole-shaped opening is countersunk to receive the head of the screw.This leaves a projection 28 on each side of the opening, beyond whichthe screwhead cannot paw The threaded contact shell 31 is held inposition on the insulating base 27 by means of a pair of screws 32 and33, which extend throuh the base into small plates 34 and 35. ese platesare. located in the contact shell 3 the latter bein provided with aninturned' flange 36, t rough :which the screws pass into the lates 34and 35. A third screw 37 passes t rou h the insulating base 27 andthrough the flange 36 of the shell contact 31, and enters a threadedopenin in a binding-terminal plate 38. This binding-terminal platepasses through a slit in the side of the shell contact and is providedwith binding-screws 39 and 40. Electrical connection is made between oneof the leading-in conductors and the threaded contact shell 31 by meansof this ter- 'minal plate 38.

Thecenter contact corresponding to the threaded outer contact 31 isformedby a spring plate 41, which is held in position by means of a.screw 42, which passes j throu h the insulatin base 27 into a binding-pate 43. This inding-plate is provi ed with a pair of binding-screws 44and 45." An internally-threaded ring 46, formed oLporcelain or othersuitable insulating material, is screwed upon the outside of the socketshell contact 31 and extends a short distance beyond the outer edge ofthe,

latter. When connection is to be made between the wires and thebinding-terminals of the socket, this threaded, ring46 is removed. Theinner end of the ring 46 is enlarged to ive it a suflicient diameter toextend well eyond the outer ends of the binding-plates "43 and 38;

The insulating base 27 is formed with a pair of lugs 47 and 48, whichextend outwardly from the face of the member 27, and when the insulatingrin 46 is screwed upon the shell contact 31*1t is limited by the luggs47 and 48. 4 i eferring now to the lug portion of the device, the latter'includlis an outer casin or housing 50. This housin is expande at itsforward end to provide a comparatively large chamber 51, in which isdisposed the insulating base 52 The base 52 is secured in the housing 50and has its underside formed with recesses in which are located thebinding-terminals. Another insulating member comprising a c lindriv calblock 53 forms the portion of t e plug which carries the outer contactmemberin the conductin and the end contact member which co-operate withthe contacts of the receptacle when the parts are put together. Thecenter contact member of the plug comprises a plunger 54, whichisurgedoutward by a spring 55. The plunger 54 is guided in an opening orrecess 56 in the insulating'block 53, 'by a hollow shell 57, which worksup and down in the opening 56 in the block and contains the outer end ofthe spring 55. The inner end of the spring 55 is seated against abushing 58, which forms a guide for the inner end of the plunger 54.This bushing is in electrical connection with a plate 59, which lies ina shallow recess in the end of the insulating block 53 and is held inplace therein by the bushing 58, which is expanded or clinched over atits inner end upon the plate 59. The plunger 54 is limited in itsoutward movement by being expanded or headed at its inner end 54.

The outer contact of the plug comprises a metallic shell or rin 60 whichsurrounds the cylindrical insulating block 53 and also a pair ofbow-shaped resilient members 61 and 62, held in place by the metallicring 60. The members61 and 62 lie in slits in the ring 60 and makedirect contact with the inner surface of the threaded shell contact 31of the receptacle when the plug is.

inserted thereinto. The metallic shell 60 is held in gosition on theblock 53 by having its en s inwardly flanged at 63 and 65, the formerflange lying between the two insulating members 52 and 53 of the plug. Ametallic plate-ring 64 is held in-place' the plug is thrust into thesocket member of the receptacle the strips 61 and 62 are caused toflatten slightly, being bent inwardlytoward the member 53, and arepressed into; firm electrical contact with .these'tongues 66 and 67.

The insulating member 52 carries the binding-terminal plates upon itslower or inner side. These binding-terminal plates, best seen in Fig. 7,are held in position by screws which pass up into the plate 59 and ring64 on the under or inner side of the member 53. The terminal plate 70 isheld in place by a screw 71, which passes through the base 52 into athreaded opening 71 plate 64. The terminal plate 70 isprovi d with theusual bindingscrew 72. A screw 73 similarly holds in place thebinding-terminal plate 7 4 and electrically connects it with the plate59 on the under side of the member 53, electrical connection thus beingmade between the ter minal plate 74 and the center contact 5% of theplug. The terminal plate 74 is also provided with a binding-screw 75. Tofurther aid in mechanically holding the parts of the plug together, apair of screws 76 and 77 are provided, which also pass up into theconducting ring 64.

The parts of the plug which carry the current-conveying members andbindingterminals, when held together by the various screws abovedescribed, constitute a unit which may be removed from the casing orhousing of the plug for the purpose of wiring the device. These partsare normally held in position in the housing by means of a pair ofscrews 78 and 79, which extend through notches 80 and 81 in the edge ofthe inner or lower insulating base member 52.

The inner wall of the housing of the plug, at its upper end, is madetapering or sub stantially cone-shaped. A cone-shaped soft rubber ring82 is arranged in this part of the housing and forms a gasket providedwith a water-tight joint with the covering of the conductor cords, toexclude moisture from the current-carrying parts of the device. Theinner end of this ring is provided with a laterally-extending flangehaving substantially the diameter of the inside of the portion 51 of thecasing 50.

The conductor-cord extends up through the neck 83 of the housing 50 andthrough the ring 82, where the ends of the conductors are secured to thebinding-screws on the under side of the member 52. These connections aremade while the current-carrying parts of the plug are removed from thecasing, which may be done, as hereinbefore explained, by the removal ofthe screws 78 and 79. After the connections are made and thecurrent-carrying parts of the plug are reinserted in the casing, thetightening of the screws 78 and 7 9 tends to force the rubber ring 82down into the tapering mouth of the housing and to press the same inagainst the covering of the cord. At the same time the flange on theupper end of the rubber ring is pressed into close contact with theunder side of the base member 52. The enlarged upper portion of therubber gasket ring thus forms a cover for the depressions in the basemember 52 in which the bindingterminals are located, whereby moisture isprevented from getting to these parts when the plug is not in use.

On the lower side of the insulating menu'- ber 52 there is provided awedge-shaped extension 82, which is intended to separate the twoconductors of the cord and force them against the inside of the rubberring 82.

The lower end of the neck portion 83 of the housing of the plug isprovided with means for gripping the cord to take the mechanical straincaused by pulling or jerking upon the cord. This cord-grip is formed byslitting the neck 83 longitudinally into preferably six parts, so thatthe tongues or fingers thus formed unay be forced inwardly ing.

hen it is desired to connect the plug with the receptacle portion of thedevice, the cap 25 is first removed by unscrewing it and the plug isbrought into position to cause the contact-carrying part of the latterto enter the threaded socket. Rotation of the plug member is notnecessary in order to make electrical connection, as the outer contactmember of the plug is of. such form that it may enter straight into thesocket and make good electrical connection therewith.

In order to hold the parts in mechanical and electrical connection, thethreaded ring 26 is revolved to screw the same upon the neck 24 of thereceptacle casing. A sealed joint is made between the plug housing 50and the receptacle casing 21 by a compressible gasket-ring 88 which isclamped between these parts when the ring is screwed up. I

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates:

1. An electrical connecting device comprising a housing provided withmeans for securing it to a main support, an insulating base memberdisposed in said housing, binding-terminals carried by said base member,an insulating block carried by said base member and extending beyond theforward edge of the housing, a center contact carried by said block, andan outer conducting shell carried by said block and having its rearwardedge flanged inwardly and confined between said block and said basemember.

2. An electrical connecting device comprising a housing provided withmeans for securing it to a main support, an insulating base memberdisposed in said housing, binding-terminals carried by said base member,an insulating block carried by said base member and extending beyond theforward edge of the housing, a center contact carried by said block, andan outer contact member comprising a ring surrounding said block, saidring having an inturned inner edge, a

conducting plate clamped between said edge and said block, and means forholding said insulating parts together, comprising means extendingthrough said insulating base member into said clamping plate.

3. An electrical connecting device comprising an insulating base member,bindingterminals carried by said base member, an insulating plug, aconducting shell on said plug having its inner end flanged over the endof the plug, said shell having a plurality of slits, and a strip ofconducting material lying in each of said slits and held between saidshell and plug and adapted for engagement with the outer contact of asocket.

4. An electrical connecting device, comprising an insulating basemember, bindingterminals carried by said base member, an

insulating plug, a conductingshell on saidplug having its inner endflanged over the end of the plug, said shell having a longitudinal slit,a strip of yielding conducting material lying in said slit and inelectrical communication with said shell and held between said shell andplug, and adapted for engagement with the outer contact of a socket, andmeans for securing said plug and said insulating member together withthe conducting plate in electrical communication with one of thebinding-terminals.

5. An electrical connecting device comprising an insulating plug member,a conducting shell on said member, said shell having a longitudinalslit, said shell having also an inturned projection opposite said slit,and a yieldin strip of conducting material lying in sa1d slit and havingits middle portion bowed outwardly to engage the outer cont-act of asocket, and arranged to be pressed into engagement with said inturnedprojection.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. I

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN

